How Does My Garden Grow?

This week my garden grows in bags. :)

In case you missed it, this cool gardening tactic has been making the rounds on Facebook lately. Bag gardening isn't new - just do a Google search and you'll yield thousands of results. However, the blog post that has been referenced on FB presents the idea in what I think is a better way. It brings the height of the garden up to waist level (for me, anyway) and out of the reach of the voracious bunnies that live in my neighborhood.

So here, in pictures, is my adventure in bag gardening. Easy to do - took me one shopping trip and about a half hour to plant. I'll post updates as the bags grow (or don't!). And please, send us pics if you do this too. I'd love to see your results.

- Alex

Shopping list:

2 wooden sawhorses (Home Depot) - $19 ea - reusable for many jobs

1 piece of cow fencing - cut to 3' widths (Farm & Fleet) - $20 for eight finished cuts

4 one cubic foot bags of garden soil (Home Depot) - $5 ea

Seeds for shallow rooted plants (herbs, greens, etc)

You'll also need a utility knife or some other sharp knife or scissors.

This is what cow-fencing looks like.

Two sawhorses, one cut of cow-fencing, holds four bags of soil.

Poke holes in the bottom of the bags for drainage.

Cut open the top of the bag, leaving about a 2"-4" border.

Like this. Leave the "flaps".

Loosen the soil.

Remove and retain the top layer of soil (you'll reuse this).

Shallow-rooted seeds.

Sow the seeds per the package instructions.

Use the removed soil to cover the seeds.
Roll the flap up and tuck them in the sides. This provides stability.
I used the seed packets to mark my plantings.

My finished bag garden!

Fingers crossed, I should have a fabulous garden of greens for my summer eating!

Friday Finds: Gutter Garden

One might misinterpret the title of this post and assume that I'm referring to the weeds that like to grow along my roof line when I neglect to properly clean my gutters.

Oh, but no! I'm referring to one of my favorite Friday Finds of all time - hanging planters made from pieces of gutter.

Look at this!

Seriously... how cool is that? And the building plans look really, really easy.

Based on the instructions for planting, you need shallow-root plants (obviously) and most greens fall into that category. I know where my arugula and chard are going this year! Woot!!

I'm so ready to start gardening it's not even funny. Hopefully our weather will even out a bit and I can get some stuff in the ground soon. I feel like I'm already behind. So, one of these cold, weekend days, I'm going to build a gutter garden planter and, hopefully, kick off the official gardening season. I can't wait!!!

–Alex